' I am so excited to tell our parents ,' gushed Lisa as she drove herself and Michael through the winding road through Carmel that would take them to the stone house that belonged to the Perkins family ,' Mom has never understood why we are waiting too long to be married .'

The wind blew at Lisa's black hair as she pushed it back absently thinking that she should have left it up in the bun but the hair ties had given her a slight headache. Beside her Michael was unusually quiet as if he was meditating which was highly unlikely as he had more energy than most. Vince had tried to teach Michael some basic yoga practices years ago with no avail.

Michael couldn't keep still or quiet for more than a few minutes so this unnerved her .

'Michael? '

Michael flashed her brilliant smile as he placed a warm hand on her knee in a protective nature. Despite the fact that he and Lisa had been in a solid relationship with only one another for nearly six years now, he still got extremely nervous when it came to Lisa's family.

Kind of funny how that was something he and Logan Reese had in common – fear.

'Your Daddy gave me permission to ask you to marry me, Lisa, 'explained Michael, carefully,' I did everything the right and proper way. That man still intimidates the hell out of me as if he still can't make up his mind if I am good enough for his daughter '

Lisa blew out a breath then slanted her eyes towards him.' Michael, honey, we have beat this subject to the ground by now. My Father is always overprotective of me but he likes you or he never would have consented to us even dating if he could have …..Besides my Mother thinks you're the best man I've ever brought home to meet them. Do I really need to remind you about all of this after this long together?'

'I suppose not 'Michael leaned over to brush a light kiss across her cheek,' My folks are thrilled that we're finally tying the knot. Our Mama's are in agreement in the whole it's been five years so what are we waiting for, err, thing ...'

' We're better off in our careers now ,' explained Lisa , matter of fact,' I'll get my studio up and running soon and your producing on WKKO now . We can find a nice little place suitable for us like Chase and Zoey did …I think our timing couldn't be better '

Michael shook his head at her.' My lil Lisa, ever the romantic ….'

'Your romantic enough for the both of us '

'I aim to please '

Lisa chuckled, wryly.' You've been watching too many late night westerns again '

She pulled the car into the circular drive noting the her mother's shiny blue Saab was out of the garage which indicated her parents had been in for a jaunt up the Carmel and Monterey Coast to unwind and relax . It would also mean that they would be in good moods.

The two story stone house faced the ocean and if you stood on the winding deck outside you could take in the glorious rising and setting of the sun and hope to catch the sight of dolphins frolicking below them. Lisa expected to find her parents enjoying cocktails on the deck and was surprised to find them watching old musicals in the oversized living room.

'Mom, Dad '

' Baby girl ' Jonathon Perkins , a handsome man with short inky hair , skin the color of molasses, and shrewd brown eyes, dressed sharply in tan slacks, a crisp white button down, and a navy colored sweater . His idea of casual away from the office,' Michael '

He embraced Lisa tightly in his arms them met Michael's gaze with his own. To his credit, the nervous young man didn't waver or drop his gaze making the older man feel better about finally accepting him into the fold of the family.

'Hello '

'Oh stop torturing the man, Jon! ' scolded Lisa's mother , Merilee , who was just as beautiful with café ole skin, beguiling green eyes, a trim figure draped in black linen pants and a red silk blouse . Her long black hair pulled back in an elegant tail,' Tell me, Michael, did my daughter react with delight when you proposed or drag at her feet a bit? '

Lisa gave her mother a knowing look as she held out her hand to show off the vibrant blue of the sapphire of her ring. She couldn't resist wiggling her fingers just a little even though she had teased Quinn and Zoey that it was a bit silly.

' I'll have you know I melted right at Michael's feet when he proposed to me ,' admitted Lisa , all serious now ,' especially after I saw this fantastic ring , I knew , I've always known that Michael was the man I would marry '

Merilee reached in to hug her daughter and Michael together.' That thrills me! Honestly I was beginning to worry that I would never get grandchildren ...'

'They just got engaged, dear. Give them time '

A flutter of panic went through Lisa and she promptly pushed it down. Making a life with Michael and opening her dance studio were first, children were farther down on the list but she wasn't even going to have that conversation right now.

'Two, maybe three kids sounds good to me 'grinned Michael, who had always wanted a big family,' you don't have a thing to worry about there, Mrs. P '

'Merilee, please '

'Yes, ma'am '

Lisa shot him a look and he clammed up. 'Michael's folks are over the moon for us. '

' They've been wanting us to get hitched since the day Quinn and Logan got married ,' informed Michael of their close friends ,' we called them right after Lisa said yes . I suspect that Mom is already looking at wedding planners and venues if she doesn't already have them on speed dial back home …that's my mama '

Everyone laughed as Jonathon poured the champagne passing the glasses out to them.

'When we you two thinking of getting married? '

Michael and Lisa shared a moment and had come to a decision though neither of them was sure that both sets of parents would approve but then it was their big day.

'Neither Lisa and I really want to wait a long time to get married,' started Michael, brushing his shoulders with his bride to be in support,' we know what we want...mostly '

'A fall wedding in Georgia sounds ideal '

Merilee took a long drink of the champagne before staring at her daughter.' Georgia? You want a destination wedding in Georgia rather than someplace exotic like Cancun? I am afraid that I don't really understand that ….'

Lisa reached to clasp Michael's hand as she bravely faced her mother.' It isn't a destination wedding but Georgia is home to Michael. I think a fall wedding there would be lovely and we certainly don't want anything extravagant …..It's what we want '

' Well, you've more than enough time to plan for next fall ,' said her father, smoothly ,' Your Mother and I have put back money to help give you the perfect wedding, sweetheart .'

'Wonderful! Only we want to get married this fall '

*******************************Wedding Bells********************************

'Well, I think that went well '

Michael tightened his hands around the wheel of the car turning his head to look at Lisa, who sat in the passenger seat, while he drove them towards the Melrose area where Chase and Zoey Matthews had recently purchased a small house. Their friends had invited the whole gang over for a pitch in supper and impromptu celebration of the engagement.

'Really, you think it went well? It took us nearly ten minutes to convince your Father that you're not pregnant, Lisa,' reminded Michael, his tone rising slightly,' or that we're not in some stupid competition with our friends in a damn race to the wedding alter '

Lisa let out an exasperated sigh.' My parents will adjust because we asked them too and I refuse to waste any more time. I don't want to wait a whole entire year to plan our wedding when I know what I want which isn't a Hollywood wedding '

'You sound like you're channeling Quinn 'remarked Michael, thinking of how Quinn had cited pretty much the same thing when she married Logan Reese,' wait, a Hollywood wedding? One of them lavish, overly expensive weddings with the Disney carriages and the venue that costs fat lot money than my classic convertible? '

He considered himself pretty traditional when it came to the actual event itself and thought Lisa felt essentially the same way. She didn't have that Bridezilla vibe thing that women got and for that, he was fortunate. Lisa's folks weren't nearly as wealthy as Logan's family but they lived comfortably. His own family wasn't exactly rolling in the dough even though his Dad was a pretty successful architect and his Mom had just changed careers from real estate to interior designer. They were normal folks.

They were just normal people, his Mom and Grandma were highly opinionated, and Michael figured they would be dying to help them plan the wedding in his old hometown. It still touched His soul that Lisa was willing to be wed in Atlanta, Georgia.

'Quinn had the right idea,' replied Lisa, pushing her sunglasses up on her head,' I think my parents just want to give us the wedding that they never got since they eloped. Oh relax, honey, I don't want a gold carriage or anything, I promise '

Michael laughed, nervously.' I was thinking church wedding …unless you were thinking outside wedding. Mom and Dad's backyard is nice with all the landscaping they've been doing but probably wouldn't hold more than maybe seventy folks or so '

Lisa reached out to hold onto his arm as he turned off of La Brea towards Melrose Avenue towards the bungalow style house that belonged to Chase and Zoey . It had the familiar stucco design of the area with a small front yard, a lone tree, and a decent sized driveway.

' I'm open to a church wedding ,' said Lisa as he parked behind Logan's expensive toy of a sports car and Chase's old , reliable ,' I can't believe that we beat Lola and Vince here .'

Michael scoffed at the notion of Lola being early to anything except maybe an audition.

'Hah! Lola wouldn't be our Lola if she wasn't a whole thirty minutes late '

'Vince will get her here 'insisted Lisa, taking Michael's arm to pull him inside the house,' oh, look, Zoey finally got curtains up ' She couldn't help noticing the Spanish lace curtains hanging from the windows in the living room ,' Nice '

'Only because I sewed them myself from old fabric Quinn found in the Reese garage 'exclaimed Zoey, wrapping her arms around them both for a hug,' how can you be talking about curtains when you two just got engaged? I am sooo happy for you both '

Lisa chuckled as she returned the hug.' You needed curtains, Zo, and we just finished giving the good news to my parents. I believe that my Mother thinks I am somehow cheating her of helping plan this grand wedding event of the year because we want to get married this fall '

'My future father in law had the audacity of accusing me of knocking up my lil Lisa '

It still burned him that the man would dare to go there and after Michael had worked his butt off to make the man respect him. Sure he and Lisa wanted kids but he was an old fashioned kind of guy …..Marriage came first then the dang baby carriage.

Not to mention that his Grandma would give him hell and more.

'He didn't threaten you with an old sword so stop whining, dude 'replied Logan, slapping his friend on the back,' It's about freaking time you put a damn ring on Lisa's finger '

Logan proceeded to drag his friend into the living room to hang out with Chase.

'Shut up, Reese,' said Michael, good naturally knowing the teasing was just part of their bro code since they were teens at PCA,' the important thing here is that Lisa said yes. I could have proposed dozens of times during the years but the timing would have been wrong '

Logan grinned then gave him a manly hug.' Michael, I really couldn't be any happier for you, man. Lisa's the best! Me, Chase, and Vince are totally going to stand up with you '

Chase stood up from behind the entertainment center where he had been hooking up the old large TV (the outdated one that he, Michael, and Logan had watched forever ago in their dorm rooms at PCA) and Dvd player compliments of Logan. He and Quinn had taken on the huge job of cleaning out the huge garage of their Santa Barbara home as well as passing along what Logan called perfectly good junk to their friends .

'Logan, stop being a jerk!' said Chase, spreading his arms wide all the while shooting a large, happy grin towards his other best friend,' Michael , you're getting married ! This is excellent!'

Michael hugged him enthusiastically before throwing himself down on the ugly plaid couch, the latest in flea market chic. It was comfortable but looked out of place with the big ass television set and the antique coffee table with the marble top that he knew had been a wedding present from Zoey's grandparents in Louisiana. He knew that Zoey and Chase were furnishing the house on the really cheap budget as Chase liked to call it.

'Thanks, guys, thanks a lot. It's been a long time coming since Lisa didn't want to marry me right after we graduated from PCA and Lord knows the woman has been dragging her feet for years whenever I brought up the subject . Our timing was spot on this time '

' Timing is everything ' agreed Chase jerking his head in a signal towards the kitchen where his own wife talked women talk with Quinn and Lisa ,' The whole year I spent alone here while Zoey finished up her internship for Lucinda in Paris was brutal .'

It had been ten times worse than the Covington /PCA deal in high school but he and Zoey persevered. He thought their marriage was stronger now more than ever .

'We know, Chase 'drawled Logan, discovering Zoey's sketchbook on the coffee table picking it up to flip through her designs,' this isn't about you and Zoey . We need to focus on being the best men for Michael in his time of need '

'You're a jerk, Reese, but I gotta love this loyalty to me '

' You're a moron ' tossed back Chase with a pleasant smile,' they got engaged three , four hours ago , I really doubt that Michael is consumed by how he cannot make us wear those horrible monkey suits in his wedding or any other lame wedding deal .'

Logan flipped him the bird as he scowled.' This is our duty to wear, man. Besides Chase, you're the moron, because I know I heard Lisa say she wants to get married this fall which is like, what, four months from now? '

Logan had actually enjoyed helping Quinn plan and makes all the important decisions for their wedding. They shared everything and it was important to him as well. Chase had been cool to sit back and let Zoey and her wedding crazed mother make all the calls until he finally exploded from all the ridiculous crap enabling him and Zo to take back their wedding.

Given that Michael was probably the most sappy out of them, Logan figured his pal would jump in with both feet when it came down to the deets of the entire wedding event .

He wasn't wrong.

Michael steepled his hands together, considered. ' I know how you guys probably think I just want to lay back and be cool, let Lisa do what she wants , but I'm a traditional man . I think we will look handsome all duded up in our tuxedos '

Chase heaved a tired sigh then looked pointedly at Logan.' Thank God your Dad let us keep the tuxedos from your wedding, Reese, otherwise I'd be standing up in goodwill threads '

'Owning a tuxedo is a staple for everyman '

'It is handy,' agreed Michael, with a nervous lump in his throat,' though, Chase, I bet if it had come down to it, Zo could have just whipped you up a fancy tuxedo '

' Don't mention that to her, please ' implored Chase as his wife was currently working at a small boutique downtown and was currently selling her sample dresses at Rezato's ,' I have the tux from Logan's wedding so yeah , that helps . So are we going to get to drive down to someplace showy and glorious in Carmel for the wedding? '

Michael leaned back, tapped his chin with a finger.' Nope, not Carmel but how do you fellas feel about spending time in Georgia for my wedding? '

**************************************Georgia on my Mind ******************

'Georgia? You seriously want to get married in Georgia, Lisa? Implored Zoey as she grabbed a bottle of cheap wine from the refrigerator while Quinn got down the glasses from the cabinet,' Here I have been imagining you in a glamorous, sleek gown , Michael dashingly handsome in a tuxedo against the backdrop of the cliffs in Carmel '

Quinn pushed her glasses back up on her nose.' That sounds so gorgeous! Carmel does have breathtaking views though I must admit I am partial to Santa Barbara '

It was, after all, where she and Logan married at and were settling into their home there.

Zoey poured a healthy amount of wine into their glasses. 'Or does Michael want to be married in his hometown? His accent has never really been noticeable ever so I often forget that he is as Southern as I am '

' Oh Michael loves the coast of California as much as we all do but ever since we spent last Thanksgiving with his folks , I think he misses it down there . Atlanta is lovely,' explained Lisa, swirling the wine in her glass,' Lord knows Michael would give me the moon if he could. '

Quinn took a tiny sip of the wine as she and Logan have been discussing starting a family soon. They had quite a healthy and exhilarating sex life and didn't want to put their careers ahead of starting a family. She couldn't wait to get pregnant but that was a thought for another time as tonight was all about Lisa and Michael's love and happiness.

'Sun, the moon the stars above, if he could '

Lisa's smile was radiant.' I'd really love is all of us could fly down there, spend the time to start planning, even shopping for my wedding dress. I hope you girls and Lola will stand up beside me as my maids of honor?"

Lisa knew better than to try to choose one of them over them all – that had led to some good natured bickering before Zoey's wedding back then and this way there would be none of that. Not that Lola wouldn't be ever her dramatic self for the hell of it – she was Lola, after all.

Quinn gave her shoulder a squeeze.' We would love to be in your wedding. Let me the first to offer you the Reese family private plane to help cut down those nasty costs – Malcolm insists it is at mine and Logan's disposal shall we need it and I know Julia has been insistent that somebody uses it more .'

Lisa breathed a huge sigh of relief and pulled her friend in for a hug.' Thank you, Quinn! That takes a load off! I want the wedding of my dreams but on a reasonable budget also considering that I need to afford to get my dance studio off and running plus Michael and I haven't even discussed whether we want to continue the lease on the apartment or look for a fixer up house in the near future '

Zoey took a small drink of her wine then opted for a ginger ale. it didn't taste right to her taste buds though she supposed she had gotten spoiled on the French wine during her stay in Paris and this cheap wine was so not the same .

'Not to be outdone by the Reese's, my designing skills are at your disposal if you want me to design your dress or our dresses '

'Thanks, Zoey, that means the world to me 'expressed Lisa, a glint in her eyes,' I've already decided I want deep purple and light mauve for my colors '

'Perfect colors for you '

Lisa got stars in her eyes as she talked about her dream wedding that had been in her wish book since she was a teenager. It had been tucked away with her dreams of dance but the dancing had always come first for her but that had changed a bit with age and maturity.

She had accepted that she would never dance in the Rand Ballet Dance Company or be a primma ballerina but Lisa embraced having her own dance studio with everything in her.

Marrying her soul mate just made everything better.

' For my wedding dress I was thinking I didn't want anything frothy but sleek ,' sighed Lisa, wistfully ,' Nothing plain but no billions of fabric either but with sparkle and lace. '

'I'll get my sketchpad,' Zoey scooted off the bench,' keep talking, Lisa '

'I want kick ass wedding shoes too '

Quinn laughed,' You could borrow Zoey's old kiss ass wedding heels , Lisa, so it'd be like double duty there '

Lisa couldn't help but laugh.' Only you, Quinn, but I don't know how I feel about borrowing wedding shoes '

'There are no rules on what the borrowed thing has to be '

'Quinn, she doesn't need to be that practical 'called back Zoey as she ignored the guys debate on chicken wings versus prime rib for the reception,' you three are nuts. There is no chance, Michael, that Lisa is going to agree to chicken wings as the main course at your reception '

Michael shook his head, vigorously.' Zoey, we can have two meats and one of them is gonna be chicken wings. Just wait until we get to discussing the catering, it will be a breeze '

Zoey rolled her eyes upwards at him.' Men '

Logan and Chase shared a knowing look between them as they really did understand it. After all, they had been through all of this before when they married their sweethearts and considered themselves pros at the matter.

'I still have my lobster guy, Michael 'offered Logan, helpfully,' It could be my wedding present to you. Just say the word and I can take care of it '

Chase elbowed Logan.' Don't make me look cheap, Reese, because I am the best friend. You are still only the second best friend …'

Logan hit him back. 'Ass'

Michael leaned back to enjoy the show.' I would hate to turn down lobster '

Zoey turned on her heel heading back to the kitchen all the while muttering under her breath ,' My God , I don't know how you idiots still manage to act like idiot 15 year olds instead of the adult 24 aged men that you actually are ….idiots '

Just then the front door opened in bringing in the whirlwind that could only be Lola Martinez dressed to the nines in designer jeans, three inch heels, and a navy blue silk blouse with a more casually dressed Vince Blake at her heels .

'So sorry we're late but my cameo on the pilot ran over then traffic was awful 'exclaimed Lola,' Vince and I brought champagne. Where are Michael and Lisa? '

Ever the calm man amongst them, Vince held up the bottle of bubbly.' Let's celebrate '

Michael and Lisa would be the third couple within their close knit group of friends to marry one another. It was time to celebrate life and celebrate their love.

'

'